When DJI delivered its first FPV (first-person view) drone in late March 2021, many in the drone community wondered how this might impact the market for these types of flying cameras. In retrospect, the DJI FPV has been seen as a slightly flawed curiosity that bridges between the true FPV hardware that is all about flying skills and the computer-managed camera drones that DJI is famous for. The new DJI Avata was designed to address some of the criticisms of the original design while still embracing the core objective; getting camera drone pilots out of their comfort zone and into the exhilarating world of FPV flying.At 410g, the Avata is half the weight of its predecessor, and this smaller and more nimble design also sports a better camera. Depending on what bundle you buy, you can also get it with the latest DJI Goggles 2. One slight oddity of this design is that the drone is supplied with the DJI Motion Controller and not the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2. Flying a drone using the motion controller isn’t anything that a conventional drone pilot will have experienced, as you can’t fly backwards, for example. DJI’s view is that it provides a more intuitive and beginner-friendly starting point. Though you can fly in Normal and Sport modes using the provided DJI Motion Controller, to get the full Manual mode experience requires the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 at additional expense. The critical issue here is that this type of flying is a major departure from flying camera drones, and not all pilots will instantly enjoy it. If you discover that FPV flying isn’t for you, then this could be a very expensive mistake. The DJI Avata is a better considered and more sedate entry to the world of FPV flying than its predecessor, but it falls into a space between camera drones and FPV hardware that might not satisfy either objective as effectively as more dedicated solutions. For those that don’t get motion sick and have the open spaces to let the Avata off its leash, then it can be a blast to fly, but getting this experience also comes with a significant investment. There are multiple ways to buy the DJI Avata FPV, though which of these you need depends on if you own the original FPV hardware and what Goggles you'd like to use it with. It is possible to buy the DJI Avata on its own for £499 ($629, €579 or AU$799), and this doesn’t include Goggles or a controller, both of which you can repurpose from the original DJI FPV. The DJI Avata Pro View Combo costs £1,229 ($1,388, €1,429 or AU$1,989) and is for those that don’t own the previous drone. It includes both the new DJI Goggles 2 and the DJI Motion Controller, and it comes with a single battery. You can also get the DJI Avata Fly Smart Combo that comes with the older and larger Goggles V2 instead of the Goggles 2. This costs £989 ($1,168, €1,149 or AU$1,629), making this the 'budget' option for those without Goggles. To get more flying time out of these investments you'll need the Avata Fly More Kit, which comes with a four-battery charging hub and two additional batteries, costing £215 ($279, €249 or AU$339). That’s not a bad deal since the charging hub costs $59 / £49 and the batteries are $129 / £109 each, saving you £52 or $38 on buying them individually. Once you have the drone, you can invest in the DJI Avata ND Filters Set (ND8/16/32) for $79 / £59, extra props for $9 / £9, a replacement Upper Frame for $19 / £19 and a replacement propeller guard for $29 / £25. While not part of this specific launch, the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 costs $139 / £139, and is a necessity if you wish to fly in manual mode. At launch, there is no bag or case available from DJI for the Avata, sadly. It also doesn’t come with a USB-C charger, so you need to have one that can output at least 30W if you wish to charge the batteries rapidly. The design of the Avata is a radical departure from the original DJI FPV, as this design has no folding elements, placing its blades inside protective rings. While we haven't been able to test it to destruction, the Avata looks like it was designed to handle a few obstruction encounters without rapid and unexpected disassembly. While we can’t confirm this currently, we’ve been told that the blade guard and main frame of the drone will be purchasable as replacements from DJI, allowing owners to replace them if they have an unfortunate accident. The inclusion of blade rings is also a significant advantage if the drone ever hits living things, even though the 410g Avata is much lighter than the 795g DJI FPV. Along with being lighter, the Avata is also much smaller at just 18cm square and 8cm high, enabling it to get through much narrower gaps. The front of the frame also has an angled section, which should deflect the drone down if you flip the underside of a window or other horizontal structure. Batteries slide and lock into a cage on the rear of the drone and have a flexible connector that links the power lines to the drone. This is another feature that's clearly aimed at making the battery more likely to survive a crash and less likely to damage other parts of the drone. The placement of the power lights on the battery is something we’ve seen on other DJI designs recently, and it makes perfect sense. One issue that the DJI FPV suffered from was that, in certain maneuvers, it was possible to see the blade tips in your videos. On the Avata, this is still an issue, but only when the wide-angle modes are being used and the camera is pointing downwards. It comes down to a design choice between providing an unobstructed view and putting the camera in harm's way. The way the camera nestles inside the front of the frame also reduces the possibility that crashing will bring it into contact with the obstruction unless it’s something like a projecting branch. Beneath the Avata are two downward-looking sensors for accurately calculating the distance from the ground using binocular vision to build a ToF (time of flight) map of the ground beneath the drone. What the Avata does lack, compared the DJI FPV, are any forward-facing sensors. This means the Avata only has ground-detecting sensors that are only active in Normal and Sport modes, but not Manual. Overall, the design of the Avata is excellent, other than one truly bad choice – the placement of the USB-C port and microSD card slot. Initially, finding the location of this microSD card slot proved a challenge as it isn’t on the underside, top or rear. Eventually, we found it under a rubber cover inside one of the blade rings, making it remarkably awkward to access. What genuinely concerns us is that should this cover come loose, due to the air pumped past it at high velocity, it will hit the spinning blade, possibly resulting in a catastrophic accident. Also, unless you remove the blade in that ring, getting a USB cable attached is close to impossible, and that might be necessary to download the video stored inside the drone. How such a poor placement made it through multiple engineering reviews when the Avata was designed is a mystery, but it’s easily the worst aspect of this new design. We’ll cover the controller in more detail in the next section, but the DJI Avata Pro View Combo comes with the DJI Motion Controller as the single means to control the Avata. Previously available for the DJI FPV, this is a curious one-handed controller vaguely reminiscent of the slot-car racing controllers some may remember from their childhood. It features a large trigger on the front for increasing speed and three thumb-operated buttons on top that includes the all-critical emergency stop button. Climbing and turning are all achieved by twisting the Motion Controller. DJI is of the opinion that this is a much easier way to control an FPV drone than the DJI FPV Remote Controller it included with the FPV, but you can buy the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 as an accessory to this drone if you prefer that type of controller. FPV flying is almost entirely done with a headset, which DJI calls its Goggles, The new Goggles 2 is one option bundled with the Avata, but it will work with the older Goggles V2 also. Why DJI called these the Goggles 2 when they already have a Goggles V2 is beyond us, but it seems destined to confuse DJI’s customers. What’s slightly odd about the Goggles 2 is that, in most regards, they are superior to the Goggles V2, but not in every respect. Advertisement Where the Goggles 2 offers 1080p resolution Micro-LED panels for each eye, over the 810p resolution ones on the Goggles V2, the V2 did offer 120fps frame-rates, whereas the fastest on the Goggles 2 is 100fps. Critically, the transmission bandwidth is still up to 50Mbps, so it’s a balance between resolution and framerate, with the new Goggles 2 going for resolution over frames-per-second. The connection between the drone and the Goggles 2 is Ocusync O3+, the latest version of DJI’s transmission technology. Depending on what region you are flying, O3+ can provide a video and control link at up to 10km, or only 2km if you are based in Europe. For those where the maximum range is legal, a word of warning. The total flight range of the Avata is only 11.6km, so any trips over 5km might end with the drone having insufficient battery life to return. Our experience is that you'd be lucky to get more than a few hundred meters, since the drone is designed to fly low or around trees, which can interfere with the signal. The main difference between these Goggles and the ones you might use with a standard FPV are that DJI's ones have a cut-down version of the DJI Fly app, which means you can fly the drone without a mobile phone or tablet attached. You can attach a phone using USB-C and use it to update firmware and manage the recordings that the Avata makes, but this isn’t necessary to fly or record video. To control the limited interface, the Goggles 2 has a touchpad on the right-hand side that can be used to make adjustments to the controls, capture quality and other settings. Being on the right makes it conveniently placed for right-handed flyers, but less elegant for left-handed. Though this bias also means that right-handed flyers using the motion controller in their right hand can’t easily adjust the settings while flying. Advertisement As humans don’t come with consistently-specced eyes, the Goggles 2 allows for both a degree of optical adjustment along with Interpupillary Distance changes. The eyepieces can be between 56 and 72 mm apart, and dioptre adjustment ranges from -8.0 D to +2.0 D. What these controls don’t resolve, though, are vision impairments that are due to astigmatism. To fix those, DJI includes a couple of lens mountings you can send away to have your correct prescription made for them, taking account of even these vision problems. One slightly surprising feature if the DJI Avata is that it's substantially slower than its DJI FPV predecessor. Where the FPV topped out at an impressive 87mph (140 kph) in 'Manual' mode, the Avata is limited to just 27m/s or 60mph (97.2 kph). The DJI FPV flew at this speed in 'Sport' mode, so the Avata is significantly slower. That’s a big difference if you are interested in flying fast, though not necessarily a bad thing if you’re learning FPV flying. Similarly, all the modes are a little slower than its predecessor, with 'Normal' mode only offering 8m/s and sport mode 14m/s. And, climbing is capped at just 6m/s irrespective of mode, where the FPV had no limit on climb rate in manual mode and 15m/s in Sport. If we compare these numbers to the DJI Mavic 3, the Avata is a little faster, but not by a dramatic amount. The takeaway from these numbers is that the Avata is built more for fun and cinematography, rather than chasing racing cars or birds of prey. The quoted flying time is 18 minutes hovering, and as FPV drones generally don’t hover much, expect a realistic flight time closer to 12 minutes. The Avata intelligent flight batteries each hold 2420 mAh and take about an hour to charge from depleted. It’s worth noting that with the Avata, you will be doing plenty of charging, and not just drone batteries. The Goggles 2 needs to be charged and will last about 110 minutes on a battery that could be swapped if DJI offers spares. The DJI Motion Controller operates for around five hours and takes 2.5 hours to recharge, and the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 offers a battery life of nine hours and recharges in the same time. This means that deciding to spontaneously fly and then finding out that something needs charging could scupper your plans easily. By default, the Avata comes with the DJI Motion Controller, which is a culture shock to anyone who has flown a drone using the typical dual-stick controller. The thinking behind this controller is that it should provide a more intuitive way to fly the Avata, but that logic comes with a truck-load of caveats. Using this controller, what you can’t do is transition vertically or fly backwards. To help with these limitations, it has specific buttons for takeoff and landing, but these don’t help if you need to turn the drone around in a tight space. The basic concept is that the drone flies forward toward whatever you are pointing, and the big trigger on the front defines how quickly. If you want to climb, you tilt the controller so the drone can see upwards and apply some power, and the same for descending. If things get awkward, and they can, the large button on top is the stop, and within reason, it can bring the drone into a hover quickly. An added bonus of the brake button is that it allows you to reset the tilt of the motion controller, enabling you to turn 180 degrees without actually fully rotating it in the opposite direction. This is a little clunky and the Motion Controller isn’t suitable for flying through a building or tight spaces. It’s fun in big open spaces where the Avata can achieve a distinct aircraft style of flying, but it’s awkward if you are in restricted airspace. Advertisement It’s telling that the Motion Controller will allow the drone to shift from Normal to Sport flight mode, but it doesn’t support Manual mode as it would be a perfect recipe for crashing. Using the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2, as we did on many of our flights, is more intuitive for experienced drone pilots. When combined with the excellent view provided by the Goggles 2 and the agility of the Avata, it provided for easy precision flying and a high degree of exhilaration as we cruised low to the ground or between tree tops. In short, flying the Avata is a blast. If FPV flyers want the highest quality video, they usually strap an action camera to their machines, making them even more challenging to fly. That’s not necessary with the Avata since the piloting camera is more than good enough to capture up to 4K video at 60fps or higher frame rates at 2.7K or 1080p. The sensor here is a significant upgrade over what came before with a 1/1.7in sensor compared to the 1/2.3in on the DJI FPV. The use of inches is somewhat confusing for sensor sizes, but the Avata camera has almost 64% more surface area to capture light, with a 43mm-squared area compared to 28.46mm-squared. This not only allows for greater sensitivity in lower light conditions but also provides greater dynamic range when grading the footage in post-production. With the camera in ‘Auto’ mode, it operates in an ISO range of 100-6400, but manual settings allow it to be set as high as 25600 ISO for capturing nighttime scenes. Advertisement Where the DJI FPV sensor had only 12MP resolution, the new sensor has 48MP. However, we suspect it has a similar number multiplied by the clever use of oversampling filters rather than having 48MP sensor elements. This enhancement makes for crisper video and much cleaner still images. Often the size of the sensor is overkill for video capture, and only a small portion of it is used to achieve the maximum 4K resolution. What DJI did with the Avata is use some of that extra additional capture to add a new feature, HorizonSteady. Like the DJI FPV, the Avata has the same RockSteady smoothing technology as before, but DJI has added HorizonSteady, which creates stable footage without the banking of the drone visible in the footage. This feature was handy on one of our flying days when the wind was gusty. Without HorizonSteady active, the video was at a severe angle even when flying in a straight line. Both these features can be disabled, but for serious cinematographers aiming to save time in post-production, they’re invaluable. When in a hover, the drone can be heavily angled over to remain in position, and the lack of any gimbal axis (other than looking down) is a limitation when trying to take photos. If that's an issue, then maybe you need a camera drone like the DJI Mini 3 Pro, rather than one designed for FPV. Another useful feature is that the Avata has 20GB of internal storage, so forgetting to bring storage isn’t a catastrophe. You can set this space to be used even if you do insert a microSD card to provide some resilience against a card error ruining your best shot. Alongside those sources, the view from the Goggles can also be captured with a microSD card inserted into them. This footage is in 1080p and has all the data overlays on, which might be critical for anyone trying to work out why a crash happened or what speed the drone was traveling at a given point. Link : https://www.techradar.com/reviews/dji-avata

Zhaoxin, a China-based CPU developer with an x86 license, has yet to formally introduce its next-generation KaiSheng KH-40000 processors with up to 16 cores for datacenters. However, it has already started to submit benchmark results to the Geekbench 5 database. The new CPUs show noticeable microarchitecture-related performance improvements over their predecessors but can barely catch up with modern CPUs from AMD and Intel. Mysterious CPUs Zhaoxin, co-owned by Via Technologies and the Shanghai Municipal Government, has been gradually leveraging microarchitectures designed by Via (or rather by Centaur) since the mid-2010s, and its upcoming KaiSheng KH-40000 series processors for datacenters are based on the CentaurHauls microarchitecture that some claim resembles Intel's Haswell microarchitecture from 2013. The KaiSheng KH-40000/16 and KaiSheng KH-40000/12 CPUs run at 2.20 GHz, have 16 and 12 cores, and are equipped with 32MB and 24MB of L3 cache, respectively. In addition, the 16-core model seems to feature simultaneous multithreading technology (SMT), so it can process up to 32 threads concurrently, assuming that Geekbench 5 correctly reads its capabilities. Based on specifications of Zhaoxin's KaiSheng KH-40000/16 and KaiSheng KH-40000/12 published in the Geekbench 5 database, these CPUs look very similar to Centaur's never-released CHA processor unearthed earlier this year. There are differences though: CHA had eight cores, did not support SMT, and was architected for TSMC's N16 node, whereas KaiSheng KH-40000 has up to 16 cores, seems to feature SMT, and is believed to be designed for TSMC's N7 fabrication process. Furthermore, processor IDs of both KH-40000 CPUs read 'CentaurHauls Family 7 Model 11 Stepping 3' (1, 2), whereas the processor ID of Centaur's CHA is 'CentaurHauls Family 6 Model 71 Stepping 2,' so the CPUs in question use different silicon. What is odd, though, is that both CHA and KH-4000 operate at 2.20 GHz, so if we did not know CPU IDs, we could speculate that the model KH-4000/16 uses two eight-core CHA dies produced on TSMC's N16 node and glued together using an interconnect. Mediocre Performance For Zhaoxin, CentaurHauls should be a significant microarchitectural advancement from its LuJiazui microarchitecture from 2019. Furthermore, the improved core count should make KaiSheng KH-40000 CPUs more competitive on the server market. So, let's look at the performance numbers submitted by the CPU developer. When it comes to single-threaded performance, Zhaoxin's (or Centaur's) CentaurHaul microarchitecture significantly outpaces the company's previous generation LuJiazui microarchitecture both in integer (by 22%) and floating point (by 75%) workloads even though the new CPU operates at 2.20 GHz. In contrast, the older one works at 2.70 GHz. The FPU performance uplift seems rather dramatic, but one should remember that we are dealing with a synthetic benchmark. Advertisement While the new microarchitecture is significantly better than the preceding one, KaiSheng KH-40000 CPUs with 12 and 16 cores cannot compete against any modern CPUs. Moreover, their single-threaded performance is even lower than that of ill-fated AMD's Bulldozer/Piledriver architecture from mid-2012. As for multi-thread performance, we see a rather odd advantage that Zhaoxin's 16-core KaiSheng KH-40000/16 with SMT has over 12-core KaiSheng KH-40000/12 CPU. While, in theory, the 16C/32T chip can process 2.66 times more threads than its 12C/12T brethren (and we have never seen this kind of SMT efficiency from any well-known CPU microarchitecture so far), its actual performance advantage is higher than even hypothetical 2.66X (2.69X in integer, 2.84X in float). As we are dealing with a situation when one CPU only has four more cores than its rival, yet its performance is almost three times higher, we believe that there are factors beyond the number of cores that have such an effect on performance. Keeping in mind that Windows 10/11 does not always work optimally with schedulers of unfamiliar multi-core CPUs, we believe that the 12-core KaiSheng KH-40000/12 CPU results obtained on Windows 10 Pro do not reflect its true potential. Yet, even under Windows 10 Pro and without SMT, CentaurHoals is substantially faster than LuJiazui in multi-threaded integer (by 40%) and multi-threaded floating point (78%) workloads. The problem is that absolute performance numbers demonstrated by both KaiSheng KH-40000 and Centaur CHA CPUs are deficient by today's standards. Interestingly, multi-threaded performance numbers demonstrated by Zhaoxin's 12-core KaiSheng KH-40000/12 under Windows and without SMT are comparable to AMD's FX-8350 processor (four modules, eight threads), which the company once marketed as an eight-core CPU. We can hardly call the performance of a decade-old processor competitive by today's standards, at least in Geekbench 5, which is not the best benchmark. Some Thoughts While 12-core and 16-core configurations seem okay for desktops and entry-level servers, 12 and 16 cores from Zhaoxin do not deliver performance comparable to that of 12-core or 16-core processors from AMD and Intel. Under Windows and judging only by Geekbench 5 scores, Zhaoxin seems to be a decade behind AMD and Intel regarding performance. Even if Zhaoxin enables SMT on its upcoming CentaurHoals-based CPUs (for client and server applications) and Windows 'learns' how to properly use those cores, KaiSheng KH-40000/16 will still be two times slower than 2021 processors from AMD and Intel with the same core count. Link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/zhaoxin-12-core-and-16-core-cpus-tested

Name of the game: Train Life: A Railway Simulator Price: 15,99$ Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1330660/Train_Life_A_Railway_Simulator/ Offer ends up after X hours: 1 September Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core i5-4690 @ 3.5 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X @ 3.7 GHz Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570 DirectX: Version 10 Additional Notes: Please note that these informations aren't final and may be subject to change until the launch of the game. RECOMMENDED: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 3.6 GHz or AMD Ryzen 7 1700 @ 3.8 GHz Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 4 GB VRAM or more DirectX: Version 10 Additional Notes: Please note that these informations aren't final and may be subject to change until the launch of the game.

Even a short while ago, the idea that MG Motor could directly benchmark one of its cars against a Volkswagen, not merely as an ambition but as a serious attempt to match and even better the model in question, would have produced reactions ranging from acidic cynicism to full-on mirth. But study the look, content, price, spec and price again of this MG 4, then take a drive, and your mind will be duly adjusted. This car is more than competitive, more sophisticated than anything MG Motor has offered to date, decently enjoyable to drive, very well equipped, civilised and priced to make you look twice. Guy Pigounakis, MG Motor’s commercial director and industry veteran of more than 40 years, calls the MG 4 a ‘disruptor’, for offering vastly more for less. He’s particularly pleased with a residual value forecast that enables an especially competitive PCP, starting at £300 per month. Market essentials such as these, along with a now-extensive dealer network and a seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty, provide the bedrock from which to launch a model that Pigounakis expects to swiftly become MG Motor’s best seller. These days that will make it quite a big seller too, the company’s UK sales swelling near-unstoppably. The essence of the MG 4 is an all-new modular scalable platform that will see service across parent company SAIC Group’s own-brand models, potentially achieving massive volumes. The MG 4 is the first SAIC product to use a platform notable for a slender battery pack that occupies almost the entirety of the wheelbase, a compact, rear-mounted motor and a 50:50 weight distribution regardless of battery output. Of which there’s a choice of two, the base 51kWh pack of the £25,995 MG 4 SE teamed with a 168bhp motor to deliver 218 miles of range and a 7.7sec sprint to 62mph. The £28,495 SE Long Range provides a 64kWh unit good for a 281-mile range and a slightly slower surge to 62mph in 7.9sec, while the range-topping £31,495 Trophy serves the same statistics with usefully more kit. Not that the standard SE goes short, providing a floating 10.25in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment screen, a DAB radio, a data-packed 7.0in driver information screen, an extensive suite of electronic driver aids including radar cruise control, lane keeping and traffic jam assist, five driving modes and four levels of regenerative braking. All this is packaged within a style notably more contemporary than you’ll currently find in an MG Motor showroom, if a little generic. That said, the short rear overhang, elaborate rear lights, floating roof and heavily sculpted, black lower bodywork produce a look more athletic than the Volkswagen ID 3’s. The dashboard is more striking too, its strong horizontality broken by the twin floating screens and a steering wheel rim flat at both top and bottom. If the cabin is a little gloomy – seats, carpets, door cards and headlining all dark as night – it’s nevertheless pretty spacious, especially against the electric superminis that the MG 4 competes with on price. Boot space is less clever, but the false floor allows tidy stowage of the charge cable, and the folding rear seats are split. Such practicalities are soon forgotten when it comes to the driving. Merely getting in ignites the twin screens, drive-away readiness is achieved by pressing the brake. Swivelling an almost comically large rotary knob resembling a high-end 1970s amplifier volume control selects drive, and you’re off, in silence and enjoying a ride that rounds off sharp bumps to comfortingly good effect. If you’ve recently stepped out of an ID 3, you’ll also notice less road noise, a smoother ride and slightly sharper performance. Of which there’s plenty, given that this is a family hatchback, with enough in-gear zest to make overtaking a satisfyingly brisk experience. Link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mg-motor/4-ev

Russia has blocked the adoption of a joint declaration by a United Nations conference on nuclear disarmament. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is reviewed by its 191 signatories every five years, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Russia objected to a draft text citing "grave concern" over military activities around Ukraine's nuclear plants, in particular Zaporizhzhia. Participants in the last review in 2015 also failed to reach an agreement. The 2022 meeting, which had been due in 2020, was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The failure to agree a joint declaration followed a four-week conference in New York. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was "deeply disappointed" at the lack of agreement. "Russia obstructed progress by refusing to compromise on proposed text accepted by all other states," she said. The US representative, Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, said the US "deeply regrets this outcome, and even more so on Russia's actions that led us here today". Campaigners hail new era for nuclear disarmament Who can have nuclear weapons? Russia was opposed to a section of the text expressing "grave concern" over military activities around Ukrainian power plants - including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Russia seized early on in the war in Ukraine. The draft section also remarked on "the loss of control by the competent Ukrainian authorities over such locations as a result of those military activities, and their profound negative impact on safety". Russia's representative, Igor Vishnevetsky, said the draft final text lacked "balance". "Our delegation has one key objection on some paragraphs which are blatantly political in nature," he said - adding that other countries also disagreed with the text. The final document needed approval of all countries at the conference. A number of countries, including the Netherlands and China, expressed disappointment that no consensus had been reached. The Dutch said they were "content with the useful discussions", but "very disappointed that we have not reached consensus". China's ambassador, meanwhile, said despite the lack of agreement, the process was "an important practice of common security and genuine multilateralism". The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons regretted that "in a year when a nuclear-armed state invaded a non-nuclear armed state, a meeting of nearly all countries in the world failed to take action on nuclear disarmament", while the Washington-based Arms Control Association said the conference represented a "missed opportunity to strengthen the treaty and global security". The Non-Proliferation Treaty, backed by 190 countries in 1970, commits countries which signed up - including the US, Russia, France the UK and China - to reducing their stockpiles and bars others from acquiring nuclear weapons. Last week, the Zaporizhzhia plant was temporarily disconnected from the power grid, raising fears of a possible radiation disaster. Russia's military took control of the plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe, in early March, but it is still being operated by Ukrainian staff under difficult conditions. The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is expected to organised a trip to the Zaporizhzhia plant in the coming days to inspects facilities there. Link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62699066

Apple has set September 7 as the date for the launch of its rumored iPhone 14. There are no details beyond time and place: The "Far Out" event will take place at 1 PM PST at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park Campus and will stream online at Apple Events(opens in new tab). The announcement at least ends one bit of Apple world speculation but leaves the door open for just what we should expect to see and hear on September 7. By the way, it's worth noting that the newest iPhone is getting a fairly unusual first-Wednesday-in September launch date. Typically, Apple unveils products on a Tuesday and, with the iPhone, it's often been in the second week of the month. But September starts late in the week and then there's Labor Day weekend in the U.S., which basically cuts out Monday as a travel day for assorted analysts and press (like us!) who will be in attendance. When Apple CEO Tim Cook walks out on stage on that Wednesday, he'll be carrying - well - nothing. Cook will first talk about the state of the company and how Apple has overcome the challenges of the pandemic and ensuing supply constraints. He'll laud new store openings around the world and, we bet, butter up Apple's "amazing team" in an effort to get everyone on board(opens in new tab) with coming back to Apple Park and other Apple offices at least three days a week. At some point, Cook will start introducing the iPhone 14, which will actually be as many as four iPhone 14 models: iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Max iPhone 14 Pro Max Most rumors point to the iPhone 13 mini being the last in a short-lived line of pint-sized iPhones. Meanwhile, the new phone on the block, the iPhone 14 Max, will offer the size of the Pro Max but the features and affordability of the iPhone 14. There will also be a forking of the Max and Pro lines in that the former will retain the screen look and feel of the previous generation iPhone 13, while the Pro line should see the end of the full-scale notch. While there's a lot that probably won't change between the iPhone 13 and anticipated iPhone 14 models (think basic design, screen technology), the cameras could be due for a big upgrade. Most rumors point to the Pro line getting 48MP cameras. That's a big jump from the 12MP cameras on the 13 line and, again, will help differentiate between the iPhone 14 and 14 Max and the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. It's worth noting that most people will probably end up shooing in some sort of "pixel binning" mode, which will combine four pixels at a time into an even better 12MP image. We're still hoping for something approximating 5X optical (or above) zoom on at least one of the iPhone 14 models. Yes, a new Apple silicon A16 Bionic chip should be in all of the iPhone 14 models, though aside from a potential battery-saving 3nm process, no one is expecting a major upgrade from the A15 Bionic. Apple may not feel it needs it since, in most tests, the A15 Bionic is still beating Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile CPUs. We'd be lying if we said we weren't more than a little excited about the rumored purple iPhone 14. The expected iPhone 14 launch would also start the countdown for the full launch of iOS 16, which is currently in public beta. The updated mobile platform and its new lock screen, notifications, and third-party widgets won't launch, though, until the new iPhones do, which should be before the end of September, though iPhone 14 preorders could happen as soon as the Friday after launch. More than just iPhones There's a solid chance that Apple will uses this September 7th event as a launchpad not just for a passel of iPhone 14 devices, but for multiple other home and wearable gadgets, as well. We might see the rumored HomePod 2, one that hews more closely to the original HomePod design. This means it could be larger than the HomePod mini but probably still smaller than the original design. More important, it could have some serious audio power. Many expect the new Apple Watch 8 (or Series 😎 to arrive along with the iPhone 14. Few are expecting a full-scale redesign, though Apple might flatten the sides and face to give it a more, almost, iPhone-style look. The big news in Apple wearables will be, um, bigger. There should be an Apple Watch 8 Pro, a larger and more rugged version of the Apple Watch designed for extreme sports and/or intensive outdoor use. We might also see the new AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 2, since they're both perfect companions for the rumored iPhone 14. There's a chance that just the next AirPods 4 show up. What's not anticipated is that either version's charge cases will come with USB-C charging ports. We may have to wait until next year for that update. Something more With each Apple launch event comes the hope (call it a desperate wish) that there'll be "one more thing." It's a tradition Apple Co-Founder, the late Steve Jobs, started more than a decade ago, and that current CEO Cook has honored only sporadically. If it comes, however, we may finally get our first glimpse of Apple AR glasses Link : https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-14-launch-set-for-september-7-heres-everything-we-know

Samsung has launched its eagerly anticipated 990 Pro Series SSDs. These are high-performance NVMe M.2 2280 SSDs that are “optimized for gaming and creative applications.” In the run-up to this announcement, there were hints that Samsung’s 990 Pro Series SSDs would feature a PCIe 5.0 interface; however, that hasn’t come to pass, at least not yet. The new Samsung 990 Pro Series SSDs use a PCIe 4.0 interface. If you are perhaps a little disappointed that the 990 Pro Series SSDs don’t use PCIe 5.0, there's at least some consolation. Firstly, these drives are a step above their predecessors, with the 990 Pro SSDs capable of sequential read and write speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s, respectively. This compares well against the Samsung SSD 980 Pro, which could muster a maximum 7,000 MB/s and 5,100 MB/s, respectively. Moreover, the IOPS performance numbers are as much as 55% better than the 980 Pro SSDs. In broader comparisons, when gaming in Forspoken, Samsung claims the new SSDs load a game level in approximately one second, four times faster than a SATA SSD, and 28x faster than level loading from an HDD.Samsung doesn’t make specific data-based claims about the advantages of buying the RGB heatsink model. All it says is that the heatsink “prevents performance degradation due to overheating.” Whichever model you buy, Samsung says the new controller is designed to improve power efficiency dramatically, claiming a 50% improvement over the controller used in the SSD 980 Pro. There had been some hints that Samsung’s SSD 990 Pro would be a PCIe 5.0 device. It isn’t, and this is all the more surprising given that within recent days, lesser storage players like Corsair and Gigabyte have unveiled PCIe 5.0 SSDs with transfer speeds of up to 12,400 MB/s. This might be due to Samsung wishing to use its own proprietary SSD controllers, but the only PCIe 5.0 storage controller currently shipping is from Phison. Retailers will start selling the 1 and 2TB models from October, priced at MSRPs of $179 and $309, respectively. Unfortunately, we don’t have a price for the 4TB models, which aren’t due until 2023. Also, Samsung didn’t reveal the price premium for the RGB Heatsink models. Link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/samsung-990-pro-ssd-pcie4-launch

Name of the game: The Bridge Curse Road to Salvation Price: 15,11$ Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1611430/The_Bridge_Curse_Road_to_Salvation/ Offer ends up after X hours: 31 August Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or 64-bit Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core i5 4590 or AMD equivalent (or better) Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 960 or equivalent (or better) DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 20 GB available space Sound Card: Direct compatible sound card for audio RECOMMENDED: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or 64-bit Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core i7 7700 or AMD equivalent (or better) Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA RTX2060 or equivalent (or better) DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 20 GB available space Sound Card: Direct compatible sound card for audio

The Kia EV6 certainly hasn’t been short of plaudits since it arrived in 2021. But as ever with these things, those have all been in the toppier specs, sometimes with a bigger power output. What about in the (relatively) bargain basement version? That’s what this EV6 Air is. At £44,195, it’s three grand cheaper than the next one up (the 226bhp GT-Line) and a whopping £11,900 less than the top spec GT-Line S with 321bhp. Or, if you take the EV6 range to the extremes, £17,400 cheaper than the EV6 GT. If nothing else, it demonstrates that in the electric era, there are myriad ways to spend your cash even once you’ve decided which car you want. The key question, then, is whether the Air feels like the poor relation. Forgive the spec deep dive, but it’s important to work out where the sweet spot sits with the EV6 range. As standard, you’re not going to feel short-changed, because it gets decent-looking alloy wheels, LED headlights, the same-size dashboard screens as the GT-Line and GT-Line S, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and rear parking sensors. Obviously the GT-Line gets more kit (the key items being electric seats, adaptive headlights and front parking sensors), but if it were my £3000, I’m sure those additions would be worth it. The Kia EV6 certainly hasn’t been short of plaudits since it arrived in 2021. But as ever with these things, those have all been in the toppier specs, sometimes with a bigger power output. What about in the (relatively) bargain basement version? That’s what this EV6 Air is. At £44,195, it’s three grand cheaper than the next one up (the 226bhp GT-Line) and a whopping £11,900 less than the top spec GT-Line S with 321bhp. Or, if you take the EV6 range to the extremes, £17,400 cheaper than the EV6 GT. If nothing else, it demonstrates that in the electric era, there are myriad ways to spend your cash even once you’ve decided which car you want. The key question, then, is whether the Air feels like the poor relation. Forgive the spec deep dive, but it’s important to work out where the sweet spot sits with the EV6 range. As standard, you’re not going to feel short-changed, because it gets decent-looking alloy wheels, LED headlights, the same-size dashboard screens as the GT-Line and GT-Line S, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and rear parking sensors. Obviously the GT-Line gets more kit (the key items being electric seats, adaptive headlights and front parking sensors), but if it were my £3000, I’m sure those additions would be worth it. Link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/kia/first-drives/kia-ev6-air-774kwh-2022-uk-drive

A Russian rocket strike on a train station killed 25 people, Ukraine says, on the day marking six months since Moscow's invasion began. Five of the victims of the attack in the eastern town of Chaplyne burnt to death in a vehicle, officials said. Two boys aged six and 11 were also killed. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the strike in the middle of a UN Security Council meeting. A further 31 people were wounded. Russia has so far made no comment. Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilian infrastructure. Speaking on Thursday, UN human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet called on Russia's president to halt armed attacks on Ukraine. Mr Zelensky said he had learned of the strike on Chaplyne, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as he was preparing to speak to the Security Council, adding: "This is how Russia prepared for the UN Security Council meeting." "Four passenger carriages are on fire now... the number of fatalities could increase," he continued. In April, a strike on another train station killed more than 50 people. Ukraine has spent Wednesday marking its annual independence day and Mr Zelensky had previously said Russia might do something "cruel" to disrupt the celebrations. Earlier he accused Moscow's forces of turning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant into a "war zone" that endangered the plant and the people of Europe, putting the world "on the brink of radiation catastrophe". The UN Secretary General told the same meeting that the "senseless war" could push millions of people into extreme poverty, both in Ukraine and beyond. Around the world, there were gatherings of supporters in the streets to mark Ukraine's independence today. World leaders also rallied to support the embattled nation. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared in Kyiv on an unannounced trip to show his country's support, announcing £54m ($63.5m) in new military aid - a figure dwarfed by an announcement from US President Joe Biden of an extra $3bn (£2.5bn). Messages of support arrived from across the globe: from Australia, Germany, Finland, Poland, Turkey and more. In the Vatican, Pope Francis called for "concrete steps" to end the war and avert the risk of a nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. But in the streets of Kyiv, it was relatively quiet. Ukraine had banned large gatherings and events over fears that Russia could target such civilian gatherings. It followed a warning from the US for any of its citizens to leave ahead of the anniversary. Some gathered anyway on Khreshchatyk Street to look at the array of captured Russian tanks and armoured vehicles put on display instead of the usual Ukrainian parade. Between his political speeches, President Zelensky and his wife also attended a memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers and civilians of the war, laying yellow and blue flowers at Kyiv's Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders. Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials gave their first update on military causalities in some time - saying that nearly 9,000 soldiers had been killed in the six-month conflict, though that number cannot be independently verified. Despite the losses, the Ukrainian leader had started the day with a defiant national address, vowing to retake the whole of Ukraine, "without any concessions or compromises". "We don't know these words - they were destroyed by missiles on 24 February," he said. "The enemy thought we would greet them with flowers and champagne, but received wreaths and Molotov cocktails instead. In Russia, meanwhile, the day marking half a year since the start of the invasion passed quietly. The war is static, but ousting Russia is a seismic task Ukraine war in maps: Six months on from Russia's invasion What weapons are being supplied to Ukraine? The BBC's Will Vernon in Moscow says there has been almost no mention of the six months of Russia's "special military operation" on television or from officials - possibly a sign that authorities do not want to emphasise the drawn-out campaign. Russia had initially promised a short, decisive campaign - but Ukrainian resistance quickly pushed Russian forces away from the capital, and months later Russia redeployed its forces to concentrate on the eastern breakaway provinces where it already enjoyed support. In recent weeks, the front lines have hardly moved. The former mayor of Yekaterinburg was arrested on charges of "discrediting the Russian army", which since the invasion of Ukraine began can carry a prison sentence of up to five years. As he was led away, he said he was being arrested for saying out loud "one phrase, 'the invasion of Ukraine'". Thousands of people have faced the courts over such charges, with a large majority found guilty, human rights lawyers say. One human rights group, OVD-Info, says more than 16,000 people have been detained for protesting against the invasion - offences which include street protests, social media posts, or simply referring to Russia's "special military operation" as a war or an invasion. Link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62666188

It appears that reports of Game of Thrones' death have been greatly exaggerated. Why? Because House of the Dragon, the first spin-off show from HBO's live-action adaptation of George R.R Martin's beloved fantasy novels, has just become the most-watched series premiere in HBO history. In a press release, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) – the owners of HBO and its sister streamer HBO Max – revealed that House of the Dragon's first episode drew in 9.986 million viewers during opening night. While that figure only accounts for US households, Warner Bros. Discovery also confirmed that House of the Dragon was HBO Max's biggest series launch in Latin America, as well as Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) – territories where the streamer is available. Currently, no data is available for how it fared on Sky Atlantic in the UK or Foxtel in Australia. House of the Dragon's roaring success delivers a brief respite to Warner Bros. Discovery – the brand created by the recent merger of the two companies – following weeks of bad press. The conglomerate has faced fierce backlash (and rightly so) over the cancellation of DCEU movie Batgirl, plus the removal of numerous fan-favorite shows and films(opens in new tab) from HBO Max. In much the same way that Stranger Things season 4 provided some relief to Netflix amid its recent financial and subscriber woes, House of the Dragon appears to have done likewise for WBD. People are talking about House of the Dragon's most brutal scenes rather than the corporation's problems – the HBO Max series was Twitter's top trending topic for 14 hours straight post-release. Martin's own involvement in shaping House of the Dragon is sure to have aided its overnight success as well. The acclaimed author recently revealed (via WSJ magazine(opens in new tab)) that he had a more prominent role in the spin-off show than he did in Game of Thrones' latter seasons. Given that we ranked three of Game of Thrones' final four seasons as the worst of its run, Martin's influence on the original series' structuring, plot threads, mature themes, and character arcs played a significant role in its early success. House of the Dragon will have benefitted from Martin's extensive consultancy role on its development, with the show's initial 10-episode run profiting from his involvement. It's still early days for House of the Dragon, but all signs point toward it being as successful as Game of Thrones was a decade ago. Warner Bros. Discovery can take heart from its promising start – and not only from the fact that it eases the pressure on the beleaguered organization. The company has other Game of Thrones spin-offs in development – a Jon Snow-centric series and The Sea Snake among others – and House of the Dragon's initial success proves that there's still an audience for Westeros-based programming. In light of its recent struggles, WBD needed a big win, and House of the Dragon has actually delivered two: one for the corporation at large, and one for its live-action Game of Thrones franchise. The death knell hasn't been rung on the latter just yet, and it has House Targaryen, its dragons, and politically-charged drama to thank for that. For more HBO-based coverage, check out the best HBO Max movies. Alternatively, read up on what's leaving the streamer by the end of August. Link : https://www.techradar.com/news/house-of-the-dragons-roaring-success-shows-game-of-thrones-isnt-dead-yet

Large companies like AMD ship thousands of engineering sample CPUs to their partners in China, so it isn't surprising that some of those units end up on flea markets weeks before official release dates. This time around, someone in China has begun selling engineering samples of AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X six-core processor. Naturally, the product runs at lower clocks than retail models, but if you want to own a Zen 4-based engineering sample CPU before its launch, you can now find one. The chip is now available from Goofish (h/t to @9550pro) for 9999 CNY ($1217 without VAT). The CPU is not engraved with its official model number, but it carries the OPN code 100-000000593-20, corresponding to the Ryzen 7 7600X (at least according to previous leaks). This engineering sample's biggest drawback, apart from its absurdly high price, is its maximum frequency of 4.40 GHz, which is 300 MHz lower than the rumored 4.7 GHz maximum turbo clock on the retail model. Lower clocks are common on early engineering samples, but potential bugs could be a bigger problem with early engineering samples. Considering that AMD's Ryzen 7000-series 'Raphael' processors, as well as supporting platforms, are just weeks away, we doubt it makes a lot of sense to get an engineering sample of these CPUs this late and at this price unless someone really wants to get hold of AMD's next-generation product ahead of the others, no matter the cost. Yet, such people should be aware of potential issues with early samples that are not meant for commercial PCs anyway. The seller claims that the CPU is functioning, and he will advise its future owners where to get an AM5 motherboard before their official release this September. However, considering that the seller wants to get quite some money for this processor, we can only wonder how much the motherboard will cost. Link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amds-ryzen-5-7600x-available-on-chinese-flea-market

Name of the game: Thymesia Price: 22,49$ Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1343240/Thymesia/ Offer ends up after X hours: 25 August Requirements: MINIMUM: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 (64 Bit) Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970 DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 16 GB available space RECOMMENDED: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 (64 Bit) Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 16 GB available space

Even a short while ago, the idea that MG Motor could directly benchmark one of its cars against a Volkswagen, not merely as an ambition but as a serious attempt to match and even better the model in question, would have produced reactions ranging from acidic cynicism to full-on mirth. But study the look, content, price, spec and price again of this MG 4, then take a drive, and your mind will be duly adjusted. This car is more than competitive, more sophisticated than anything MG Motor has offered to date, decently enjoyable to drive, very well equipped, civilised and priced to make you look twice. Guy Pigounakis, MG Motor’s commercial director and industry veteran of more than 40 years, calls the MG 4 a ‘disruptor’, for offering vastly more for less. He’s particularly pleased with a residual value forecast that enables an especially competitive PCP, starting at £300 per month. Market essentials such as these, along with a now-extensive dealer network and a seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty, provide the bedrock from which to launch a model that Pigounakis expects to swiftly become MG Motor’s best seller. These days that will make it quite a big seller too, the company’s UK sales swelling near-unstoppably. The essence of the MG 4 is an all-new modular scalable platform that will see service across parent company SAIC Group’s own-brand models, potentially achieving massive volumes. The MG 4 is the first SAIC product to use a platform notable for a slender battery pack that occupies almost the entirety of the wheelbase, a compact, rear-mounted motor and a 50:50 weight distribution regardless of battery output. Of which there’s a choice of two, the base 51kWh pack of the £25,995 MG 4 SE teamed with a 168bhp motor to deliver 218 miles of range and a 7.7sec sprint to 62mph. The £28,495 SE Long Range provides a 64kWh unit good for a 281-mile range and a slightly slower surge to 62mph in 7.9sec, while the range-topping £31,495 Trophy serves the same statistics with usefully more kit. Not that the standard SE goes short, providing a floating 10.25in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment screen, a DAB radio, a data-packed 7.0in driver information screen, an extensive suite of electronic driver aids including radar cruise control, lane keeping and traffic jam assist, five driving modes and four levels of regenerative braking. All this is packaged within a style notably more contemporary than you’ll currently find in an MG Motor showroom, if a little generic. That said, the short rear overhang, elaborate rear lights, floating roof and heavily sculpted, black lower bodywork produce a look more athletic than the Volkswagen ID 3’s. The dashboard is more striking too, its strong horizontality broken by the twin floating screens and a steering wheel rim flat at both top and bottom. If the cabin is a little gloomy – seats, carpets, door cards and headlining all dark as night – it’s nevertheless pretty spacious, especially against the electric superminis that the MG 4 competes with on price. Boot space is less clever, but the false floor allows tidy stowage of the charge cable, and the folding rear seats are split. Such practicalities are soon forgotten when it comes to the driving. Merely getting in ignites the twin screens, drive-away readiness is achieved by pressing the brake. Swivelling an almost comically large rotary knob resembling a high-end 1970s amplifier volume control selects drive, and you’re off, in silence and enjoying a ride that rounds off sharp bumps to comfortingly good effect. If you’ve recently stepped out of an ID 3, you’ll also notice less road noise, a smoother ride and slightly sharper performance. Of which there’s plenty, given that this is a family hatchback, with enough in-gear zest to make overtaking a satisfyingly brisk experience. As with most of the more affordable (or less unaffordable) EVs, the instant torque’s surging effectiveness begins to taper off past 70mph, but few hatchback buyers will be bothered by that. Those after a pokier MG 4 can look forward to the sportier dual-motor version coming next year, which is good for sub-5.0sec 0-62mph dashes. The motor’s instant torque certainly gives the traction control system plenty to do if you cane the MG 4 through a roundabout, and lifting off produces entertainingly strong tuck-in. Driven less provocatively, the MG corners with some panache and plenty of grip, this the benefit of that long, slim, low-mounted battery pack, the 50:50 weight distribution and very limited body roll. Demandingly lumpy B-roads are met with excellent body control, little bump-thump and good stability, and if there’s strong side-to-side rocking over sudden camber changes, the MG 4 is undoubtedly its maker’s most entertaining five-door yet. To that end, you can alter brake pedal effort, steering weight (though not feel, of which there’s little to none), throttle response and regenerative braking intensity via the infotainment screen and the ‘custom’ selection of five driving modes (normal, sport, eco, snow, custom) if chosen via one of the steering wheel’s shortcut buttons. Although it’s a faff to do this compared with the simple paddle system of the Kia e-Niro. The sport and eco modes also intensify the regen effect in a more accessible way. The MG’s infotainment screen is also a mild challenge, the lack of a ledge on which to rest your wagging hand, and the small virtual buttons that are your targets – a disappointment from a company that likes majoring on tech. Other negatives include the jutting ledge that carries the transmission knob, whose hard edge your left knee soon tires of rubbing, and the apparent inability to turn the car off should you wish to do that and remain in it, perhaps for a nap. Powering it down requires you to get out and lock it. But when you get in again, a seat sensor turns the screens, and air-con fan, back on. Hmm. Despite these issues, the MG 4 offers a great deal, especially for the price. It’s more agreeably engaging than the ID 3, more sporting, better to sit in, better to look at and substantially more affordable. It’s much roomier than its supermini rivals, too. The finish is pretty good for the price, even if subtle cost savings such as the lack of grab handles, a rear seat armrest and sill tread plates contrast with the soft-feel upper fascia, leather-edged steering wheel and those floating screens. MG Motor MGs are already a common sight on our roads, and this keenly priced, stylish, roomy, swift and very capable hatch guarantees that they will become more plentiful still. If you’re still doubtful, consider that this long-range 281-mile SE costs £350 a month, a 260-mile Volkswagen ID 3 £564 and the much smaller, 222-mile Vauxhall Corsa-e £430. That’s a comparison that should prove disruptively attractive. Link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mg-motor/4-ev

Ukrainian officials have ridiculed Russia's accusation that its special services were behind the killing of Darya Dugina, the daughter of an ultra-nationalist, in a car-bomb attack. "We don't work in this way," said National Security and Defence Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov. A memorial service for Ms Dugina, 29, took place in Moscow on Tuesday. Ms Dugina, a commentator on a Russian nationalist TV channel, died when her car blew up on the outskirts of Moscow. Her influential father, Alexander Dugin, may have been the intended target of the attack. His expansionist ideas of a New Russia or "Novorossiya" on Ukrainian territory are said to have influenced President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea in 2014. President Putin condemned the "vile, cruel crime" and posthumously awarded Ms Dugina the Order of Courage. Her 60-year-old father paid tribute to her as a "rising star at the start of her journey". She was brutally murdered in front of him by Russia's enemies, he said, and he went on to call for victory over Ukraine. In Kyiv, the security and defence council secretary said Ukraine had nothing to do with the bombing: "We have more important tasks for our boys and girls... The FSB did this and is now suggesting that one of our people did it," he told Ukrainian TV. Mr Danilov also claimed Russia was planning a series of attacks inside Russia an attempt to mobilise a po[CENSORED]tion whose support for the war was waning. Ukrainian presidential office adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, said Russian "propaganda lives in a fictional world", adding that the car bombing was part of a struggle within Russia's special services. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had solved the case and blamed Ukraine directly. Its claims were widely reported by state TV, and pro-Kremlin commentators called for immediate revenge. Russia says farewell to 'warrior' Dugina By Will Vernon in Moscow Russian state TV broadcast live pictures of the memorial service at Ostankino TV centre in Moscow. Ultra-nationalist thinker Alexander Dugin paid tribute to his daughter, saying "she died for Russia, for the people". Russian MPs called her a "warrior for the sovereignty of Russia". One controversial MP, Leonid Slutsky, called for a square in Kyiv to be renamed in Darya's honour once "denazification" - code for Russia annexing Ukraine - had been "completed". The killing remains a top story for Russian state-controlled television. All the TV channels have been reporting as fact the FSB Security Service's claims that the culprit was a Ukrainian secret agent in a Mini Cooper. But some are questioning how the Russian authorities allegedly cracked this case, and the speed with which they did so. It took the FSB less than two days to "solve" the murder - releasing a detailed statement as well as video materials. Many opposition politicians, most of whom are now living abroad due to persecution in Russia, have been asking why other political assassinations in Russia remain unsolved - often for many years. There are other concerns, too - that Darya's murder may become a pretext for increased repression in Russia or for further attacks against Ukraine. We still don't really know who was behind the killing, why Daria Dugina was killed and whether she was the intended target. line Russian demands for retribution came as Ukraine prepared to mark 31 years of independence on Wednesday, which coincides with six months since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. The US state department has warned that Russia is stepping up efforts to attack Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities. Fears of an escalated Russian attack have prompted Kyiv to ban public events while the city of Kharkiv has brought forward an overnight curfew to start at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT). According to the FSB's account of Darya Dugina's death, a Ukrainian woman linked to security services in Kyiv had moved to Russia in July alongside her young daughter. The woman had rented an apartment in the same building as Ms Dugina for a month, preparing for the attack, it alleged. In that time, she allegedly followed her target through Moscow in a Mini Cooper - for which she used three different licence plates. The FSB later released video purporting to show the suspect's car entering Russia, then of her entering Ms Dugina's building and finally leaving Russia for Estonia. Ms Dugina and her father were attending a festival near Moscow on Saturday evening where he was giving a lecture. They had reportedly intended to leave in the same car, but changed their plans at the last minute. Investigators said explosives had been planted underneath the Toyota Land Cruiser she was driving. Video appeared to show him looking on in shock as her car burned. Read more: Speculation rife as Russians ponder Dugina's killing Ms Dugina was a vocal supporter of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a political commentator for her father's International Eurasian Movement organisation. She wrote regularly for pro-Kremlin media outlets and had been placed under sanctions by the UK in July as "a frequent and high-profile contributor of disinformation in relation to Ukraine". "My daughter Darya Dugina was brutally murdered in front of me," his statement on Telegram read. "She was a beautiful Orthodox woman, patriot, war reporter, an expert for central TV and philosopher." Russian media linked the suspect identified by the FSB to Ukraine's Azov regiment, which Moscow says is a terrorist group. The Azov regiment flatly denied the allegation. Estonia rejected the Russian claim that Ms Dugina's alleged killer had fled across the border as a "provocation in a very long line of provocations by the Russian Federation". Independent Russian outlet Agentstvo raised several questions about the FSB version of events, surrounding the woman identified as the killer and the Mini Cooper car. It wondered why she would take a child with her on such a dangerous mission and said video of the car had been posted in the Kyiv region three days before the blast. Exiled former Russian MP Ilya Ponomarev argued it was the work of a little-known Russian resistance group called the National Republican Army. The former MP who moved to Ukraine said the group had carried out several actions already, although there was no public reference to the group before Sunday. Link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62643274

If you follow tech – or the news in general – you'll probably know that the iPhone 14 is on its way very soon. Apple's next smartphone is expected to launch in September, and it'll likely be one of the most talked-about phones of the year... but it's certainly not the most exciting. Other phones are coming later this year too, and there are actually some more interesting ones than the iPhone. The Xiaomi 12T, Motorola Razr and Sony Xperia 5 IV (if that comes along) could all be far more exciting, for a few key reasons. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4(opens in new tab) is a bending phone, with more power and functionality than one can shake a stick at, and yet it commanded far less search interest in its launch buildup than the iPhone 14 currently does. Now, this isn't an article to say 'Androids rule, iPhones drool' or anything like that – no, our comments on the iPhone 14 aren't regarding its merits or foibles, but the way the tech community treats these devices. Leakers spend months and months incessantly spouting out predictions and leaks for the new iPhones, often with dubious accuracy. That's because, while top leakers often have some reliable information, lots of smaller leakers try and use the excitement around the iPhone to try and gain some notoriety. And many of these leaks say the same things, as this is a smartphone, after all, and there's not that much to say about it. We hear the same information, about the cameras or screen size or processor, ad nauseam. Bear in mind that Apple has slowed down the rate of change - in terms of design - between its new devices year on year (the iPhone 12 was the last big design upgrade, two years ago) and the iPhone 14 - particularly the standard model - will almost definitely be the same as the iPhone 13 but with a few small changes. Because of this, it can be very hard to have any level of excitement for the iPhone 14. But that's not the case for other upcoming phones. A little bit of mystery We've seen one single leak for the Xiaomi 12T, which provided some potential camera and screen specs, but certainly not enough to get a real feel for what the phone will be like. We've heard absolutely nothing about the Sony Xperia 5 IV (there's a real possibility that it's not coming), and the few Huawei Mate 50 details we've heard can't even agree if it's coming out or not. And that’s where the sadness, the fatigue, comes in. Apple knows that it doesn’t need to bring swinging updates because its customers are still interested in every morsel that comes out, because they’re probably going to buy the iPhone, or at the very least a comparable flagship phone from Samsung or OnePlus. And that’s why the other brands have to work so hard on innovation - the incredible power, screen design, folding screens or 200MP cameras on the so-called ’smaller brands’ are attempts to get people interested in what might be coming - and we should all find that refreshing. We get that the amount of innovation left in the smartphone world isn’t a high as it once was - there’s only so much you can do with a black oblong - but it doesn’t mean excitement for other tech, whether it’s super-fast battery charging, amazing cooling for gaming or just a really smart interface, is worth skipping. And while we know roughly that some brands are more likely than others to innovate in these way, we don’t know how - there’s a certain allure to the unknown, and since we have so little information about these upcoming phones, it's a lot easier to get excited about them. Even handsets we do know a lot about, like the Google Pixel 7 or Motorola Razr 2022, are still clouded in more mystery than the iPhone. We don't know the price of the Razr, or what cameras the Pixel 7 will have, and that mystery is intriguing. So if you're excited for the iPhone 14 – and somehow have avoided iPhone fatigue until now – then do check out some of the other Android phones coming this year, because while you’ll probably still end up getting the iPhone 14, there’s a lot more exciting tech magic happening out there that you should still know about. Link : https://www.techradar.com/features/iphone-fatigue-why-the-iphone-14-isnt-the-most-exciting-phone-coming-in-2022

The Arc A380 may not be one of the best graphics cards around. However, Intel's entry-level Arc Alchemist graphics card has what it takes to run Crysis, which was the golden standard for gaming. YouTuber PCGH Benchmarks & Analysis(opens in new tab) recently took the Gunnir Arc A380 for a spin in Crysis, which didn't faze the budget Arc graphics card. Do note that this is the original Crysis, which came out 15 years ago, and not Crysis Remastered, which debuted two years ago. Notwithstanding, the decade-old title didn't faze the Arc A380 at all. The Arc A380 performed admirably in Crysis, delivering over 60 FPS at 1080p (1920x1080) on very high settings and anti-aliasing set to 4x MSAA. We also saw glimpses of the Arc A380 peaking over 80 FPS. Unfortunately, it's public knowledge that Arc doesn't offer outstanding performance outside DirectX12 or Vulkan titles. Nonetheless, the Arc A380 still offered great performance numbers in Crysis, a title that leverages DirectX 10. The YouTuber reported that the game ran beautifully, and we didn't see any frame stuttering. Intel's current Arc drivers are holding the Arc A380 back, so the graphics card could still have some performance in the tank. Currently, the drivers lack optimization for legacy APIs and require more development to tackle APIs before DirectX 12. However, Intel recently admitted to reusing its integrated graphics software for Arc, which explains why the drivers gimp the performance on Arc Alchemist's discrete graphics card. At the beginning of the year, Intel had promised to ship river four million discrete graphics cards in 2022. So far, the chipmaker has only released the Arc A380, which is only available in China. The company is still optimistic that it'll be able to get desktop Arc into gamers' hands later this year. Link : https://www.tomshardware.com/news/yes-intels-feeble-arc-a380-gpu-can-run-crysis

Name of the game: Across the Obelisk Price: 14,99$ Link Store: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1385380/Across_the_Obelisk/ Offer ends up after X hours: in 28 hours Requirements: MINIMUM: OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1, 10 Processor: 2.0 Ghz Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: 1Gb Video Memory, capable of OpenGL 3.0+ support (2.1 with ARB extensions acceptable) Storage: 1 GB available space

Bentley has launched a new, ultra-low-volume Mulliner coupé, the Batur, which previews how its future electric models will look. The launch of the limited-run car also signals the end of production for the ubiquitous 6.0-litre Crewe-built W12 engine that has powered its cars for 20 years. The Batur, revealed in front of a 500-strong contingent of Bentley owners as part of Monterey Car Week, has been designed over the past year and will reach its first customer in mid-2023. It is a two-door fixed-head coupé based on the underpinnings of the latest, longer-wheelbase Bentley Continental GT launched in 2018 and is powered by the punchiest W12 ever, still under development but claimed to make at least 730bhp and 740lb ft of torque. This will make it Bentley’s most potent road car yet. To go with its mighty engine, the Batur offers Bentley’s most advanced chassis available, as well as Bentley Continental GT Speed-level tuned three-chamber air suspension, 48V electric active anti-roll control, an electronic limited-slip differential (with torque vectoring) and unique 22in wheels with rear steering. The Batur will be hand-built in Crewe by Mulliner, Bentley’s specialist coachbuilding arm. The car will closely follow the path of its predecessor, the barchetta-bodied Bentley Bacalar, which was revealed last year as a concept but subsequently productionised for a batch of 12 cars that sold out instantly. “We don’t build our concept cars to throw away,” said CEO Adrian Hallmark. “We build them for customers to buy.” Named after a volcanic lake in Bali, Indonesia, the new Batur will get a run of 18 cars, each selling for £1.65 million before options and local taxes — and they are all sold out, too. Several of the prospective owners are serial Bentley customers who have just received or are still awaiting delivery of a Bacalar: eight of the 12 Bacalar have now been built and delivered. The new Batur is the first publicly revealed work of Bentley’s refreshed design team, led by design director Andreas Mindt, who joined the company at the start of last year. Mindt says the Batur’s new-form language will be a key part of the company’s “transformational journey" towards the launch of its first battery-electric car, a fifth Bentley model line, in 2026. After celebrating its centenary in 2019, Bentley revealed a ‘Beyond100’ programme that entails a self-funded spend of £2.5 billion over five years – 85% of it going on new model development – that will include the opening of a brand-new plant for the company’s BEVs. Mindt, who as a junior designer worked on Bentley’s mid-engined Hunaudières supercar concept in 2003 soon after he joined the Volkswagen Group, has conducted a fresh review of Bentley’s design values over the past 18 months, going back to fundamentals such as why the company exists and what it’s good at. This ground-level research identified three Bentley buzz words – potent, inspirational and harmonious – and the Batur’s simple, unadorned and highly sculptural shape is the result. Mindt summarises his aim as being “to deliver presence through sculpture”. He said: “We don’t need decoration. We believe luxury car customers’ priorities are changing, and not just in cars. They want their cars to be quietly impressive, not flashy. We’re moving away from two-dimensional graphics towards designs with surfaces that play a lot with light and shadows.” Link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-bentley-batur-previews-look-future-evs

Pakistan's police have charged the country's former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, under anti-terror laws. Their investigation comes after he accused the police and judiciary of detaining and torturing a close aide. Mr Khan's supporters gathered outside his house vowing to "take over" if he was arrested. However, he has now been granted pre-arrest bail until Thursday. Since being ousted from power in April, Mr Khan has been a vocal critic of the government and the country's army. Police announced the charges after the cricketer-turned-politician accused authorities of torturing his close aide, who is himself being detained under sedition charges. Officials accused Mr Khan of breaching the country's anti-terrorism act for allegedly making threats against the state officials. Hundreds of the former prime minister's supporters gathered outside his home in Islamabad after news of the investigation broke, vowing to "take over" the capital if police tried to detain him. Draped in the flags of of Mr Khan's party, they have camped out at the gate of his hilltop residence of Bani Gala, chanting and singing in support of the former leader. It is not known if he is at home. He is yet to address the latest charge. Mr Khan's political allies warned on Monday that arresting the ousted leader would be crossing a "red line". "If Imran Khan is arrested... we will take over Islamabad," tweeted a former minister in Mr Khan's cabinet, Ali Amin Gandapur. Islamabad's High Court approved the three-day protective bail, but directed him towards an anti-terrorism court saying it was the appropriate forum to address the issue. What led to Pakistan PM Imran Khan's downfall The cricket hero bowled out as Pakistan's PM Imran Khan supporters point finger over downfall The case comes at a time of heightened tension between Pakistan's government and Mr Khan, who was ousted from power in April in a no-confidence vote. Since then, the former leader has toured the country to deliver a series of fiery speeches calling for fresh elections and fiercely criticising both the government and the army. Despite his ousting, Imran Khan continues to count on the support of many Pakistani voters. Last month, his PTI party stunned rivals by taking control of a crucial provincial assembly in Punjab, defeating the PML-N party in what was expected to be an easy win for them. Many saw July's by-election victory as a signal of Mr Khan's continued po[CENSORED]rity at the ballot box - and a foretaste of what could happen if the early elections that he is seeking were to be held. The charismatic politician was elected prime minister in 2018, but fell out with Pakistan's powerful army towards the end of his tenure. After a series of defections, he lost his majority in parliament. line Political win could lead to civil unrest By Pumza Fihlani, BBC News Islamabad The so-called Imran Khan versus the government fight is coming to a head. As tensions continue to rise, there are concerns within the coalition government that the terrorism charges against the former prime minister have the potential to not only create political instability but also to lead to civil unrest. Some within the government worry this is too high a price to pay. It's one of a handful of times the new government has been divided over their stance on Mr Khan, government insiders have told the BBC. Since being ousted in April, the cricketer-turned-politician has been vocal in his his criticism of the government as well as the military - accusing them of a political witch hunt. Here's where the concern comes in, though: Mr Khan has a huge support base - in the hundreds of thousands - and when you speak to his followers, they'll tell you he is being persecuted, a victim of a corrupt system. There has been no proof of this political witch hunt, but that hasn't stopped party loyalists from believing it. Link : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62628124